You may be able to become a private teacher without qualifications if you have exceptional musical skills.

2. Skills required

You'll need to have:

teaching and motivational skills

a patient and encouraging approach

good communication skills

business skills if self-employed

3. What you'll do

You'll work with individuals or small groups of people, either in your own home, in the pupil's home or at other venues. You'll work with people of all abilities.

Your day-to-day duties might involve:

planning lessons to suit the individual needs of a group or pupil

teaching pupils to play an instrument and to read and understand music

helping pupils prepare for music exams, competitions and performances

In a specialist music college, or conservatoire, you'll teach individuals, groups and classes, preparing students for music exams, qualifications and performances.

In a primary or secondary school, you'll:

teach the whole class or a group of pupils

teach the history, theory and appreciation of all kinds of music, following the national curriculum

set assignments and mark and assess pupils' work

help to organise school choirs, orchestras or bands

organise school concerts and musical performances

In a further education college or adult education centre, you'll teach music at all levels, ranging from hobby courses to qualifications like GCSEs and A levels.

You could also teach music in schools on a freelance basis as a visiting music teacher or through a music education hub.

4. Salary

Private teachers and visiting teachers in schools can charge between £26 and £37 an hour.

Full-time teachers in state maintained schools are paid in line with national salary guidelines.

5. Working hours, patterns and environment

Many music teachers are self-employed, and often combine teaching privately with part-time or casual work for colleges and other organisations.

As a private teacher, you'll work hours to suit your clients, and may spend time travelling between different teaching venues.

In a school, you'll usually work normal school hours from Monday to Friday. You may also teach individual pupils, run rehearsals or music groups, and attend school concerts and musical performances after school, and occasionally at weekends.

In further education colleges, you'll work full- or part-time hours, and in adult education centres will teach part-time courses during the day or evening.

6. Career path and progression

As a qualified and experienced music teacher in a school, you could become head of the music department.

You could also become an advisory teacher, or inspector employed by a local education authority or independent agency.